


War

by Saaimee (i_bananacake)



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Cold, Cold Weather, Cullen Fluff, Cullen Rutherford Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Not Beta Read, Skyhold (Dragon Age), Snow, Snowball Fight, Sweet, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2019-11-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:13:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21548911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/i_bananacake/pseuds/Saaimee
Summary: You can’t understand peace without first knowing calamity. The young Inquisitor knew this; however, she couldn't help but feel the weight of the consequences each step of hers has brought.The woman had spent so much time fighting for what she believed that end up forgetting the reason to do it, that’s why, in her bedroom thinking, she decided that it was time to remember it once again.
Relationships: Female Inquisitor/Cullen Rutherford
Kudos: 11





	War

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Guerra](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/537781) by Saaimee. 



A little hope is all we want, the young Inquisitor thought as she looked out of her bedroom window seeing the thick clouds slowly floating around the fortress. That was the kind of thinking that usually came to her when she was alone after spending hours listening to Josephine's schedules talking.

All they did every day was to look for contacts that favored the Inquisition and people willing to face this war they didn't even know if we could really win. This constant struggle to bring back the days not everyone remembered consumed her calmness at that moment.

A long sigh left her delicate lips allowing the weight to make her shoulders fall sharply. It was always in this silence that she wondered how much her decisions affected others as well as herself.

In that room she could clearly see the invisible wall of red brick growing around her, trying to stifle her in doubt, surrounding her in the damp odor that always chilled her spine. She knew better than anyone that if she stared at it for too long she would eventually be trapped there. The woman was never the type to be overwhelmed by tiredness, nor would she be now.

Calmly, she turned away from the balcony, forcing her body back into the emptiness of the room. She knew that it would be fine to lie down for a few minutes in her soft bed and take the winter chill out of her body, but, even so, she chose to head for the stairs in search of the grassy ground that would be covered with snow today. And, perhaps, once again, remembering the reason why she got there.

• • •

It took some time to go down all the stairs inside the castle and even more time to greet all those who came in her way with grateful smiles offering their feelings and graces on behalf of the Creator. For each face, she returned the same gentle look that promised them better days as she could feel the cold that dominated her body in the room before melted away from her.

As she walked through the main entrance, the chilly winter afternoon greeted her with a gentle touch in her white hair, reminding her that the air was lighter when there was light to be seem.

Her feet quietly stepped the stone stair while greeting a few more faces until finally reaching the spot where the grass was hiding under the snow blanket. Her eyes scanned the area ahead of her, finding people covered in fur and gloves. It was different to set foot on this ground, yet it still felt like being at home.

Feeling the cold entering her lungs, she continued her walk along the unlit trails, sinking her boots slowly onto the soft surface.

With each step, the smile on her face found more reasons to stay there, either by seeing the new allies helping each other or by watching the people talking quietly forgetting the evil that was chasing them. Skyhold was no longer a shelter for the Creator's forgotten; it was the house that reminded them that they were still standing so nothing else would be taken from them. She felt her spirits determined at each bonfire, saw the force of her dreams with each spark of swords colliding, and knew, most of all, that in their eyes this was hope.

Another sigh escaped her and this time it was the relief that made her shoulders fall.

The woman was ready to return to the war table when she heard loud voices calling her attention across the field. For a moment, she decided to stay still trying to understand what it was about. That wasn't an argument, nor did it look like the tavern people celebrating the death of another dragon. It was different enough to make her move curiously toward it.

Away from the silence of the center and near the great gates at the entrance to the fortress, the Inquisitor saw the youngers running back and forth guided by Sera’s orders as they laughed and teased those who were farther away. She heard names being called and bodies hiding behind makeshift trenches.

Surprised by the unexpected and almost impossible scene, the young woman moved a little closer to find out what motivated them to start this game. However, her plans was interrupted when, before she could take five steps, she felt something heavy hit her face in full.

Her eyes closed reflexively, understanding slowly the cold sensation dominating her cheek after the firm blow. That didn't make her lose balance, but was enough to explode wet fragments through her hair to her ear. There was no doubt it, that thing was a snowball.

“Maker’s breath!”

The loud scream was the first thing she heard after understanding the situation. Didn’t take long for her to recognized Cullen's frightened tone and hear in the background Sera’s laughter between the soldiers' frightened silence.

With one hand, she wiped her cheek as the remaining snow melted between her fingers. Turning around she rubbed her ear as she tilted her head to the side with a disgruntled expression watching the wide-eyed blonde running awkwardly between the holes in her direction.

It was incredibly cute to see the unnecessary worry in that reddened face, for this she had to bite her lips to keep the laughter from escaping her.

“Inquisitor!” He called feeling the air missing a few paces away. She finally turned to is direction wiping the moisture from her palms on her pants watching him take the last step, stopping in front of her with dry lips. “Are you alright? I am so sorry for this.”

“Yes, just a little wet, I guess.” She replied smiling, showing brows that condemned him while having fun seeing him awkwardly moving his hands on the back of his neck as trying to hide himself. “What are you doing?”

“The soldiers were tired and...” The blonde-haired man tried his best to explain the situation in the midst of embarrassment. In his voice was remarkable the mixture of guilt for what happened and the desire to do things better attracting her eyes that could not hide the contentment. “Sera started this snow fight and everyone followed.”

“Even you?”

“No, I-” He quickly tried to defend himself, but broke off as soon as he turned his face to face her and saw the smile that urged him to try say otherwise. Clearing his throat, he tried to resume his confident stance before continuing. “I tried to stop them.”

“But?”

More questions to corner him. He couldn’t say that no one heard his orders when Sera insisted on encouraging everyone to continue. And it was out of question to let her know that he ended up playing this game because he couldn't stand to listen the girl teases anymore.

“But...” He repeated turning his face to the side as if searching for a hidden exit in the soldiers' apprehensive eyes. He knew he couldn't omit the answer, and even if he did, it was clear Sera would hand him over. Without escape, he sighed heavily, accepting his defeat. “Ah, I apologize for all the trouble, Inquisi-”

Again, his speech was interrupted, but this time by a heavy blow on the armor on his shoulder. The soft material that shattered and scattered droplets across his face drowning out the sound of the hit. He turned, intrigued, to find the woman with a hand on her waist and a look that defied his confusion.

“What? Don’t tell me this game is already over.” She spoke smiling, watching him blink, not knowing what to say. “What are you waiting for?”

“What?”

“Finally!” Sera shouted in the background, grabbing one of the snowballs and slamming it into a careless soldier. “Cullen was losing it anyways”

“I wasn’t!” He yelled back, then turned to question the Inquisitor, but stopped himself when he saw her gathering the snowdrift with a broad smile on her face.

His angry eyes soon became serene as she stood up with the childlike expression saying she was ready to hit hard everyone who came her way. He had no idea how to react, but he was sure that he didn't want to stop her.

Saying nothing, he watched her run steadily through the soft snow, squandering foolish taunts at the soldiers as she encouraged them not to fear her presence and pretend for a moment that this was the only war they had to deal with.

She crouched at the corners, dodging the attacks, ran up to them celebrating the hits along with the laughter around, and rolled on the floor wetting her clothes every time the enemy snowfall hit her. Watching the happiness on her face warmed the man's chest even with his hands growing colder and colder. He wondered how many times he could enjoy it without guilt haunting them, and, then, wanted to run toward her.

He wanted to hug her without letting a single smile escape his grasp. He wanted to cover the woman in his love until there was no doubt, no pain.

His tightly clenched fist helped to hold him there, and the passionate sigh made his body finally relax with the realization that he loved her more than he could understand.

A snowball hit him reminding that he was part of it too, and even if he couldn't run to her now, he could still share her happiness. Laughing at himself, he reached down and grabbed a handful of snow before returning to the battlefield once more.

The afternoon was cold and hardly the sun could be seen among the gray clouds, yet the warmth of laughter and jesting was enough to keep them warm for as many hours as needed or until someone came looking for the Inquisitor.

On the other side of the field recovering from the attacks, the young woman watched the others continue the game thinking that this occasion should not be a rarity in that place. She realized that more than ever it was necessary to fix things up and make sure those laughs were heard every day.

Her eyes danced across the field as she saw Cullen stumble abruptly on a mound nearly falling and the only thing she could do was burst into laughter loud enough to catch his eye. He awkwardly tried to compose himself by watching her nod as if apologizing.

The man even considered nodding back and returning to the fight, but gave up on that idea when he realized that this was the perfect opportunity to take revenge on that blow from earlier.

Without taking his eyes off her, he bent down making a snowball large enough to fill his hand. She, insightful as she was, noticed the dubious movements and with her raised eyebrow watched him walk slowly toward her.

“Don’t tell me you-”

“This is war, Inquisitor.” He grinned as he stood up. “And I don’t want to lose.”

Shaking her head as if disbelieving his motives, the young woman spun around in the snow listening to the heavy footsteps along with the sound of armor struggling behind her. A laugh escaped her lips naturally encouraging him to do the same.

With no worries and like two children, they ran away from that camp, dodging people saying a few apologies while trying not to lose their balance in the slippery grass or to tread painfully on the piles of snow that would lead them to defeat.

Those who saw them running noticed the warm glow in their smiles and the caressing glances they exchanged along with silly taunts. At that moment, they were not afraid of what people were going to talk about or how they were being seen.

It took Cullen some time to close the distance between them and as soon as he made it, he strained to reach her without taking his eyes off the target. The snowball was still in his hand — though partially destroyed — ready to hit her.

He advanced blindly to reach only to end up being surprised by the girl's fast detour, but what made his eyes widen was the slip she took on the grass.

Quick as he could and ignoring his goal, Cullen turned to manage to cling to her body and pull her close, causing them to fall together.

The fall was sudden — and heavier for him that cushioned her body with his — taking some painful moans from both of them. As soon as they recovered, they could open their eyes to see them cuddled under a tree covering them with flakes letting their relieved laughs come out.

“Maker...” he sighed, laying his head in the snow before he had his strength back to fix his position and see her lying on his breastplate. “Are you alright?” The young woman nodded positively and frustrated with her fumbling movements. “What we are doing?”

“I don’t know, but it was so fun.” She responded gently reaching out her hand to lovingly run her fingers over his face, brushing the snow off his forehead. “Thank you.”

Cullen didn’t understood the reason for the thanks. It was his fault that they both had bruised their bodies and now had snow inside their clothes. However, he decided to only nod, showing in his eyes that he was glad to be with her.

“But I won.” Before he could get any closer, the girl spoke loudly reminding him why they were running.

“Oh, are you sure?” The question came followed by a raised eyebrow and a confident look pointing over her shoulder.

Curious, she followed his eyes, only to see his broad hand holding what once was a snowball just below her waist. The Inquisitor went silent for a moment with her lips parted trying to remember when he had time to do so, then turned to look at him.

“You-”

“Ha! I am a commander, Inquisitor.” He spoke proud of himself as if he had been waiting for this moment all day. “I know when to attack.”

“Ah... And how to attack.” Raising an eyebrow, she completed with a corner smile making him look at her not understanding the meaning.

His eyes stared at her shortly for the answer and only then, he noticed where his hand was landed all this time. The choking was immediate, taking the confident smile off his reddened face.

“No! I didn’t mean it. Ah, Maker...”

“Oh...” as he curled up his hand to her back, she sighed watching him with fake sad eyes. “Really?”

Her voice made him stop stammering, bringing attention to her face. For a moment, he just watched the clear blue eyes that stare intently into his. He knew he didn't need to say anything and between defeated sighs he approached. His hands cupped her cheeks and gently touched her lips.

• • •

Carefully the woman climbed the stairs with one hand while the other held a tray. When she reached the top, she was greeted by the loud, repetitive sounds of coughs coming from the front bed.

Slowly she approached placing the metal on the table in the corner watching the blonde blow his nose as he settled under the covers.

“I am so sorry, Inquisitor.”

His voice sounded funny from the cold, but she couldn't laugh when she saw his forlorn gaze on hers.

“It’s okay.”

Carefully she handed him a cup which he tried unsuccessfully to inhale the smoke and smell. Sitting next to him, she saw him blow the liquid before taking a short sip.

His gaze turned to her again and seeing her gentle smile, he shook his head in disbelief of the stupid situation he was. She understood perfectly what he was thinking and, stroking his hair, she decided to come a little closer knowing that she should reassure him of his concerns.

“Don’t worry, okay?” His positive nod was automatic, making it clear that he was indeed concerned. “I’ll be here with you so...” approaching she kissed his cheek fondly. “Just feel better soon.”

As stubborn as he was, he still knew when to back off and accept help, so he just nodded. Though he felt guilty about the problems this short cold would bring, he was happy to have her alone for him for at least this time.


End file.
